Aodh Ruadh crush under-strength Cloughaneely

Gleaea United duty and injury saw Cloughaneely shorn of 11 regular starters, but Aodh Ruadh showed absolutely no mercy as they ripped the visitors asunder in this one-sided clash in Father Tierney Park.

The opening exchanges gave little indication of what was to come, with things level after five minutes.
Aodh Ruadh opened the scoring with a Philip Patton point after going through the phases well. Then Nathan Boyle won a free which allowed Patton to double his tally two minutes in.

Declan McGarvey hit back with a close range point from play before John Fitzgerald levelled things with a free.

However that was to be the last time the visitors troubled the score board in the first 30 as Ballyshannon's greater muscularity and athleticism saw them imposing themselves on proceedings.

They edged back into the lead on six minutes when more patient football was rewarded with a good point for David Dolan.

Three minutes later Nathan Boyle did well to gather a Seamus Kane ball in before splitting the posts. Then on 13 minutes a 47 metre dead ball from Peter Boyle put a goal between them.

The start of the second quarter saw Aodh Ruadh assume total ascendancy. Then won three kick outs in a row. The first two finished with points for David McGurrin and David Dolan. Dolan won the third and fed Seamus Kane who kept his nerve and picked his spot before slipping home.

Peter Boyle knocked over another dead ball before the Ernesiders again hit the goal trail. David McGurrin gathered the ball in before switching across the face of goal to Philip Patton who palmed home.

Patton then piled on the pain with three points in succession, two from frees before David Dolan sent over a characteristically beautiful effort.

Philip Patton was creator for the Ernesiders third goal, bursting himself to get to the lose ball before feeding into Seamus Kane who switched across the face of goal to David McGurrin who palmed home.

Two quality shots from David Dolan drew the curtain down on a masterful first half display from the homesters, with Cloughaneely reeling on the wrong end of 3-14 to 0-2 scoreline.

James O'Donnell's men didn't appreciably take their foot off the gas in the second half, rattling in 3-10, and while Cloughaneely did register a half dozen points there was never any prospect of them making a game of things.

Aodh Ruadh started the second half smartly with Seamus Kane and David McGurrin pointing before Jason Granaghan split the posts with a cracker from close to the right sideline.

John Fitzgerald hit three points in response, one from play with another point from Seamus Kane sandwiched in that brief Cloughaneely rally.

However that was quickly reeled back in. A long ball in was met with a divine flick on from Nathan Boyle and Seamus Kane was the grateful recipient, making no mistake as he went through one on one with Ciaran Gallagher.

Dolan pointed again before a fifth goal arrived in the 49th minute. This one was made by the defenders with Damien Cleary creating the chance which Paddy Gillespie finished explosively.

John Fitzgerald and Declan McGarvey hit answering frees, but again Aodh Ruadh struck back in punishing fashion. This time a long ball in was knocked down by Seamus Kane and again Paddy Gillespie was the man lying in wait to gather and blast the ball to the back of the net. That left it 6-20 to 0-7 with six minutes left to play.

Philip Patton and John Fitzgerald (free) exchanged points as they game ebbed towards a conclusion with Aodh Ruadh continuing to keep the pedal to the metal.

Ciaran Gallagher had to be alert to palm an Eamonn McGrath shot over the bar for a point. Further scores from Philip Patton and Seamus Kane put the seal on a 34 point win for James O'Donnell's men.

A facile victory, but one which maintains Aodh Ruadh's 100 percent start to the season with four wins on the spin.

Few Ballyshannon players could say they were seriously challenged in their one on one battles. However David Dolan was in truly imperious form in midfield with Philip Patton also a real contender for the man of the match honours with a tally of 1-8 and a host of assists. Elsewhere, Seamus Kane, Nathan Boyle and Conor Patton also stood out.

Not a great day at the office for Cloughaneely, but John Fitzgerald did try to make the best use of the limited possession that came his way.

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